Conventional poppet valve assemblies have been incorporated into many forms of industrial machinery, engines, compressors, etc. and have been used for regulating the flow of gaseous vapor or liquids in processes that require fast acting on-to-off flow regimes. A simple poppet valve assembly consists of a hole, usually round or oval, in the valve body and a valve head, usually a disk shape on the end of a shaft, which is called the valve stem. Flow occurs through the area between the valve head and the valve body. The flow area is varied as the stem guides the valve head by sliding through a valve guide. In some applications a pressure differential helps to seal or open the valve.
While conventional poppet valves have been in commercial use for years, there has been a continuous effort to improve the overall technology. While conventional approaches have worked to varying degrees, there is still a need in the art for further improvement to poppet valve technology.